tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174808752017-07-27T08:34:47.269-04:00College Football BlogRants, comments, thoughts, praise, critiques, etc. on all things Michigan and college football.<p>If you have ideas, tips, links or pictures for the blog, e-mail us at:<p>MichiganZone at gmail dot com<p>Thanks for checking out the M Zone. And if you enjoy the site, please pass the link on to a friend or two. We'd sure appreciate it.<p>Twitter: @MZoneBlog<p>Facebook/MZoneBlog</p></p></p></p></p>Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.comBlogger2772125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-82553759955795306022016-01-27T00:27:00.002-05:002016-01-27T01:34:47.262-05:00Recruiting Space: Fixing the GlitchI get that there are no saints in recruiting these days.&nbsp; And I realize U-M signed Harbaugh in order to give the Wolverines the best possible chance to once again hunt with the big dogs of college football.&nbsp; But there is a best way of doing the "business" of college football recruiting.&nbsp; Unfortunately, Michigan isn't doing that based on the blow back and perception after <a href="http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2016/01/26/weaver-um-no-anger-just-disappointment/79365342/">another player decomitted</a> and then claimed he did so because the Michigan coaching staff stopped calling until finally telling him he was a "plan B."<br /><br /><a href="http://mgoblog.com/content/pick-damn-phone">MGo had a good take on this</a>, but I'm still surprised that we couldn't see such an obvious (and avoidable) problem by being upfront much sooner (instead of, as it appears, trying to "ignore" kids away).&nbsp; More disappointing is the response of some U-M fans falling all over themselves attempting to justify what we did as "better" than similar things we've all roundly criticized for years at other places (see: the SEC).&nbsp; Legal and "within the rules," yes, but unsavory nonetheless.&nbsp; Just because it's "us" doesn't make it less so.&nbsp; In years past, if Ohio State did something similar (see: <a href="http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2015/02/05/shady-osu-mike-weber-hurt-rb-coach-leaving/22948825/">OSU RB coach leaving after Buckeyes Mike Weber signed</a>), we'd be lighting up the Interwebs in righteous anger. And to proclaim "THIS IS DIFFERENT!!" (all caps, natch) is splitting hairs.&nbsp; You can't ask someone to prom then tell them the week before the dance that you found a sexier date.&nbsp; It's a dick move, even if it is allowed.<br /><br />Bottom line: we have to "fix the glitch" in terms of our communication with borderline offers and recruits.&nbsp; Or it's going to end up biting us in the ass.&nbsp; Because right now, fair or not, it feels like our recruiting coordinators are the two Bobs from Office Space.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ya1vD7_kBaU/VqhOaVeDQAI/AAAAAAAADuw/zrUlaprO-10/s1600/Recruiting%2BSpace2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="580" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ya1vD7_kBaU/VqhOaVeDQAI/AAAAAAAADuw/zrUlaprO-10/s640/Recruiting%2BSpace2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />And if you're not familiar with the above (shame on you), here's the original clip:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zqjQDP9KX6E" width="640"></iframe>Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-7146904786957401652015-01-03T21:44:00.003-05:002015-01-03T21:55:19.946-05:00Alabama's Sugar Bowl Summed Up in One PictureOur old MZone blogging pal, @AWoolley42, sent us this pic he saw on UniWatch of a 'Bama fan at the Sugar Bowl. I think it pretty much perfectly sums up the night for the Fighting Sabans. And I can't resist the perfect caption: ROLL...Turd? <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-26TDIoDGz_Q/VKiosqkG7ZI/AAAAAAAADsk/Nw6ebcOL5Eg/s1600/RollTurd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-26TDIoDGz_Q/VKiosqkG7ZI/AAAAAAAADsk/Nw6ebcOL5Eg/s1600/RollTurd.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think this was the longest run by 'Bama all night.</div><br />Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-11363464899079670262014-12-31T06:04:00.000-05:002014-12-31T06:10:44.837-05:00What Jim Harbaugh Said vs What Michigan Fans HeardYeah, we admit it -- we Michigan fans are a tad excited about Harbaugh's arrival back in A2. Maybe a tad too excited as evidenced by the video below showing the difference between what Jim Harbaugh said vs what Michigan fans heard when he was introduced as the new coach and spoke at halftime of the U-M basketball game yesterday:<br /><br /><iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bvml8QDQ0nU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-29369211486275082252014-12-31T02:19:00.002-05:002014-12-31T02:19:50.550-05:00Unofficial Official Jim "Swim Lanes" Hacket ShirtLike everybody else, I've been very impressed with "interim" AD Jim Hackett during the entire search process.&nbsp; He not only landed the biggest fish in the coaching <strike>pond</strike> ocean, but he conducted the search in a way that did Michigan proud, both in the result and how it was handled.<br /><br />Bravo, Mr. Hackett.<br /><br />And so, while everyone has (rightfully) been focusing on shirts centered around our new coach, we came up with an idea in Hackett's honor using one of our favorite terms he used at his introductory press conference.&nbsp; Unfortunately, the MZone Store long ago closed down, but maybe the M-Den or Moe's can run with it.<br /><br />Go Blue!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zl0iJ10-JGs/VKOhDYyL0nI/AAAAAAAADsY/jAaDgndA2Y4/s1600/Swim-Lanes.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zl0iJ10-JGs/VKOhDYyL0nI/AAAAAAAADsY/jAaDgndA2Y4/s640/Swim-Lanes.gif" /></a></div>Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-26804851394017166912014-12-28T13:09:00.000-05:002014-12-28T13:28:16.695-05:00Home Sweet HarbaughWith sources - including Harbaugh's good high school friend and Bay-area sports reporter - <u>confirming</u> he's coming back to A2 to lead the Wolverines, I couldn't help myself with the video below.<br /><br />And since his U-M playing days were in the 80s, his welcome back video could only be done with one song from that era.<br /><br />Go Blue! <br /><br /><iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/TgCfPwvKqfA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />H/T to WolverineHistorian and Dr Sap on YouTube for some of the clips and to Seth (@misopogon) for THE 'pic at the endYosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-40398433370875908422014-12-03T23:32:00.001-05:002014-12-03T23:32:13.202-05:00BREAKING: Video of Michigan Plane on its First Stop in Latest Coaching SearchIn a stunning exclusive, the MZone has obtained footage of the so-called "Michigan plane" on its secret first stop in U-M's search for its next football coach.&nbsp; I think this video indicates what a longshot their top choice is.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/7KX6QjTrpFg" width="420"></iframe><br />Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-20090778557924534242014-11-03T04:09:00.002-05:002014-11-03T12:47:07.692-05:00Michigan Talifans Blow Up Speakers in Big House(from MZone wire reporters) ANN ARBOR, MI - The Talifan - a radical group of University of Michigan supporters who adhere to a strict interpretation of what constitutes Michigan tradition - have blown up the speakers inside the Big House in order to prevent any further piped in music to be played inside the stadium.&nbsp; A video of the destruction was posted today on their website OnlyWeKnowWhatTrueFandomIs.net (SEE BELOW).<br /><br />"Only the one true marching band should be heard inside the stadium," said the group's leader, Tim Gundersack (BA, '97) from a secret location where he mooches off the wi-fi signal of a nearby coffee shop in order to write his blog.&nbsp; "The Michigan gameday experience is sacred and should be exactly as it was in 1926, Field H. Yost's last year as head coach.&nbsp; How can it be tradition if it's not traditional?"<br /><br />According to Gundersack, the present day experience at Michigan Stadium has "changed" too much and "isn't the same as when (he) was there."&nbsp; "Back then," said Gundersack, "everything cost a nickel and Michigan won every game.&nbsp; Peace be with Bo."<br /><br />Gundersack went on to explain the Talifan's rationale for blowing up the speakers.&nbsp; "True Michigan fans didn't want the rawk crap they'd been playing over the speakers," he said.&nbsp; "What does Seven Nation Army have to do with Michigan?&nbsp; Nothing.&nbsp; True Blue fans only want quality stuff that's played live by the Michigan Marching Band and is specific to our university.&nbsp; Classic music like the Rocky and Bullwinkle theme."<br /><br />The group has threatened to flame anybody who disagrees with them on their website, or block them on Twitter, or both if they try to leave a comment then tweet about it.&nbsp; "Those who do not follow the way are nothing but Drew Sharps to me," said Gundersack before bitching about Michigan's refusal to switch to a modern spread offense.<br /><br />Previously, the Talifan has opposed the renovation of the Big House, night games, and the use of non-leather helmets.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vsSEwzNXTSM" width="560"></iframe><br />Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-14161677925873552052014-10-08T02:05:00.000-04:002014-10-08T02:05:00.821-04:00New Michigan Logo for Dave Brandon RegimeIn the honor of the Shane Morris incident, and the Coke ticket clusterf**k, and the skywriting over Spartan Stadium, and the fireworks, and the student section fiasco, and on and on and on, we think Michigan may need a new logo as long as Dave Brandon remains the AD.<br /><br />Behold:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RJZqDMeWanc/VDTRLUSX58I/AAAAAAAADsA/n8vp7QatGDk/s1600/miscommunication.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RJZqDMeWanc/VDTRLUSX58I/AAAAAAAADsA/n8vp7QatGDk/s1600/miscommunication.jpg" height="434" width="640" /></a></div><br />ED. NOTE: Yes, during the days of the Original Mzone (respect) and even MZone 2.0, this post would have gone up the very day of Dave's latest "miscommunication." But, well, real life now. Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-52289928952229362182014-09-30T01:21:00.000-04:002014-09-30T10:49:30.691-04:00Ode to Dave BrandonIn the wake of the dumpster fire currently raging in A2, I give you Ode to Dave Brandon (to be sung to The Victors.&nbsp; Eat your heart out, Louis Elbel).<br /><br /><style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Courier New"; panose-1:2 7 3 9 2 2 5 2 4 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-update:auto; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:"Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family:"Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} </style> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! for the PR crisis</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! for being news with ISIS</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! Fail! to Dave Brandon</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The source of fan unrest!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! for the Hoke debacle</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! now our team is awful</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! Fail! to Dave Brandon,</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">A pizza guy at best!</span></b><br /><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">ALT VERSION:</span></b></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! for the PR crisis</span></b></span></b><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! national news with ISIS</span></b></span></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></b><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! Fail! to Dave Brandon</span></b></span></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></b><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The leader of this mess!</span></b></span></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></b><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! for the Hoke debacle</span></b></span></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! now our team is awful</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fail! Fail! to Dave Brandon,</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">A pizza guy at best!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">. </span></b></div></span></b> Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-66715372635746011352014-09-29T00:34:00.001-04:002014-09-29T00:34:20.327-04:00Dave Brandon and The Hokey GrailYeah, I know I haven't posted in over year here on the MZone, but the colossal clusterf**k currently taking place in A2 these days has compelled me to dip back into the blogging word for a brief moment.<br /><br />Thus, I give you Dave Brandon and the Hokey Grail...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g4v10oLs7mw/VCjgoNq2JJI/AAAAAAAADrc/-jzH3dEyZLA/s1600/FleshWound%2BGIMP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g4v10oLs7mw/VCjgoNq2JJI/AAAAAAAADrc/-jzH3dEyZLA/s1600/FleshWound%2BGIMP.jpg" height="359" width="640" /></a></div><br />PS It's been so long, I forgot how to post pictures on this darn thing for a second! Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-49053031310604764422013-08-05T01:14:00.001-04:002013-08-05T14:40:32.418-04:00New Carlos Hyde Video with Audio and TranscriptBy now, everyone has seen the surveillance video of Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde hitting a woman at a Columbus bar last month.&nbsp; The incident looked like it could be the end of Carlos Hyde's career since Urban Meyer is well known as such a strict disciplinarian*.&nbsp; In fact, Meyer put up this sign in the locker room to remind players of the high standards at Tosu.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JvsXX8vGqjM/Uf8zJ--vLlI/AAAAAAAADVk/VSFaLGZVKn0/s1600/OSU+locker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JvsXX8vGqjM/Uf8zJ--vLlI/AAAAAAAADVk/VSFaLGZVKn0/s400/OSU+locker.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Sure, the cynics out there might say that, "They need a big sign to remind their players not to steal?"&nbsp; But those are just haters.<br /><br />Following the incident in the video below, Carlos was suspended for three games - Buffalo, SDSU and Cal.&nbsp; So what really happened that night at the bar?&nbsp; The silent video most people have seen doesn't tell the whole story.&nbsp; Now, for the first time, the MZone has obtained a copy of the surveillance video that contains sound and a transcript of what was said.&nbsp; We think it shines an entirely new <strike>flash</strike>light on the incident.&nbsp; You be the judge:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Yg6cKvgeTz4?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />* Yes, I had to clean off my computer screen after typing that due to the spit take.&nbsp; Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-65846674215265480642013-08-02T05:00:00.000-04:002013-08-02T18:43:16.372-04:00Maurice Clarett offers you a second chance. No really.Our friend Tom sent us the following ad that just feels wrong on so many levels.&nbsp; You be the judge.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SU6Sz2mFZiM?rel=0" width="640"></iframe> Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-17202148197857859622013-07-31T04:28:00.001-04:002013-07-31T04:44:54.042-04:00One Less "Decision" To Make in ColumbusFollowing OSU running back Carlos Hyde's 3-game suspension against <strike>a bunch of cupcakes</strike> Buffalo, SDSU and Cal for hitting a woman at a local Columbus nightclub-slash-flashlight hall, the MZone has taken the liberty of updating the "Decisions" wall inside the Buckeye locker room.<br /><br />Here are the two versions: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zbHCeA50f4g/UfjJ6GkQXnI/AAAAAAAADVE/Pgt_ZrXRUQE/s1600/OSU+locker+PS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zbHCeA50f4g/UfjJ6GkQXnI/AAAAAAAADVE/Pgt_ZrXRUQE/s640/OSU+locker+PS.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />Or:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pux2upv-GpE/UfjOMxZYsnI/AAAAAAAADVU/FovpRzV3w38/s1600/OSU+locker+PS2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pux2upv-GpE/UfjOMxZYsnI/AAAAAAAADVU/FovpRzV3w38/s640/OSU+locker+PS2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br />One "decision" down, four to go.&nbsp; O-H!Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-53874423729295977002013-07-23T03:41:00.002-04:002013-07-23T03:43:05.914-04:00Urban Meyer Southwest Airlines CommercialNothing like a good ol' fashioned scandal in Columbus to pull us back to the MZone blogging machine.&nbsp; Behold our latest creation...<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/L3recL1QP1k" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><br />Be sure to follow us on Twitter @MZoneBlogYosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-32763321597844422882013-02-05T02:51:00.000-05:002013-02-05T02:51:10.941-05:00Ohio State Logo Morphing Into BuckstacheBuckeye fans were frothing at the mouth (more so than usual) after the school announced it was "updating" its seal and logo.&nbsp;&nbsp; First, the seal. On top is the old one, below it is the new:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-30PnZvjrx2A/URC09325aRI/AAAAAAAADSw/GGVOQqFvYrE/s1600/OSU+seal+old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-30PnZvjrx2A/URC09325aRI/AAAAAAAADSw/GGVOQqFvYrE/s640/OSU+seal+old.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><br /><br />You find the change?&nbsp; Look again.&nbsp; It's like one of those "What's different in these pictures?" games in that kids' magazine from the dentist office, right?&nbsp; Give up?&nbsp; Okay, in the bottom one, the "O" in the center is beveled (although our friends at The BBC claim the Latin reads, "Fuck Michigan").<br /><br />But Buckeye fans weren't too upset about the change to the seal as its just used on official documents and diplomas, neither of which most Ohio State fans have ever seen before.&nbsp; However, they were more than a little peeved about the "big" change to the school's athletic logo.<br /><br />Here's the old:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tx6bMtEmpKI/URC3i_-cZtI/AAAAAAAADTQ/AtV7l40tW_Q/s1600/osu_logo+old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tx6bMtEmpKI/URC3i_-cZtI/AAAAAAAADTQ/AtV7l40tW_Q/s320/osu_logo+old.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />And probably tens of thousands of dollars later to some OSU design grad, here's the new:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R6B7fLLbmh8/URC3w-W-wLI/AAAAAAAADTY/GjG4sDZcrOs/s1600/OSU+logo+new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R6B7fLLbmh8/URC3w-W-wLI/AAAAAAAADTY/GjG4sDZcrOs/s400/OSU+logo+new.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />No, seriously, that's the new one.&nbsp; As even Buckeye fans are saying, apparently all that design money bought was a Sharpie to give Gene Smith in order to color the top one in. <br /><br />But we noticed something else.<br /><br />Is it just us or is THE Ohio State Logo looking more and more like <a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2006/06/buckstache.html">the infamous Buckstache</a>? &nbsp; <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t3yquNbZtKc/URC2vGOCdeI/AAAAAAAADTI/yieHb32H3h8/s1600/Buckstache+New.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t3yquNbZtKc/URC2vGOCdeI/AAAAAAAADTI/yieHb32H3h8/s400/Buckstache+New.jpg" width="275" />&nbsp;</a> </div><br />Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-33679654510351151562013-01-17T04:04:00.000-05:002013-01-17T04:04:30.484-05:00Manti Te'o's Girlfriend Fake, Twitter Explodes<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YjEswoyOEa4/UPeogMuCBcI/AAAAAAAADRQ/6ZUDNYSzsz8/s1600/eastwood-chair-rnc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YjEswoyOEa4/UPeogMuCBcI/AAAAAAAADRQ/6ZUDNYSzsz8/s320/eastwood-chair-rnc.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Clint Eastwood hits on Manti Te'o's girlfriend</b></td></tr></tbody></table>If you watched college football, you knew.&nbsp; And how could you not?&nbsp; Every Notre Dame game, commercial, station break, holiday promo and car ad on NBC mentioned the tragic story of Irish linebacker Manti Te'o's girlfriend who had tragically died of leukemia at the beginning of the season <strike>just more than a week before Denard Robinson's Heisman hopes died in South Bend</strike>.<br /><br />It was one of the most touching, moving stories of the 2012 season.<br /><br />Until yesterday. <br /><br />That's when the college football world was rocked with the news that Te'o's girlfriend did not in fact die -- because she did not in fact exist.&nbsp; As <a href="http://deadspin.com/5976517/manti-teos-dead-girlfriend-the-most-heartbreaking-and-inspirational-story-of-the-college-football-season-is-a-hoax">Deadspin first reported</a> it was all an elaborate hoax: There never was a Lennay... Keku... Kooky... Kockamamie. <br /><br />Of course, we here at the MZone got absolutely nothing done from the moment we learned about the story, tweeting away the rest of the day.&nbsp; So, in case you missed 'em, below are a few your perusal.&nbsp; And if you'd like to follow us on Twitter, we can be found <a href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog">@MZoneBlog</a>.<br /><br /><b><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </b><br /><div class="js-tweet-text">Somebody really should do some fact checking on that RUDY movie asap.&nbsp;</div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><div class="js-tweet-text"><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </div><div class="js-tweet-text">Notre Dame is going to have to change that line in its fight song from "Wake up the echoes" to "Make up the echoes" </div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><b><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"> <b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </b><br /><div class="js-tweet-text">Cast your vote for Notre Dame's new slogan: 1. "Win one for The Fibber" 2. "Make up the Echoes" 3. "Pretend Like A Champion Today" <a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Teo&amp;src=hash"><s>#</s><b>Teo</b></a><br /><br /></div><div class="js-tweet-text"><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </div><div class="js-tweet-text">After hearing about the Manti Te'o story, I think execs at ABC just found their next Bachelor </div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><div class="js-tweet-text"><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </div><div class="js-tweet-text">Our favorite line from upcoming Manti Te'o movie: "Tell them to go out there with all they've got and win just one for the Fibber."&nbsp;</div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><div class="js-tweet-text"><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </div><div class="js-tweet-text">Congrats to the MZone on being named Best Sports Blog in America! <a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23MantiTeosReality&amp;src=hash"><s>#</s><b>MantiTeosReality</b></a>&nbsp;</div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><div class="js-tweet-text"><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </div><div class="js-tweet-text">Manti T'eo's girlfriend is fake? Big deal. Jim Delany offered BTN membership to Maryland and Rutgers, 2 fake football teams.&nbsp;</div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><div class="js-tweet-text"><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </div><div class="js-tweet-text">Please, before it's too late, somebody go check on Lou Holtz </div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><div class="js-tweet-text"><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </div><div class="js-tweet-text">Manti T'eo's girlfriend is fake?! What next, Ohio State fans claiming their bowl-banned probation team should've won the AP National Title?&nbsp;</div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><div class="js-tweet-text"><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </div><div class="js-tweet-text">I sure wish T'eo's girlfriend had been real and Denard's 5 turnovers against ND hadn't been&nbsp;</div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><div class="js-tweet-text"><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </div><div class="js-tweet-text">To be fair, Te'o's girlfriend was more real than his Heisman Trophy legitimacy&nbsp;</div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><div class="js-tweet-text"><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </div><div class="js-tweet-text">BREAKING: Manti T'eo blames his fake girlfriend on violent video games and Hollywood movies. </div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><div class="js-tweet-text"><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"> <b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> </div><div class="js-tweet-text">Looks like Manti Te'o projected 1st round status in the NFL draft is now also a hoax </div><div class="js-tweet-text"><br /></div><a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="188208373" href="https://twitter.com/MZoneBlog"><b class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id">Yost</b> ‏<span class="username js-action-profile-name"><s>@</s><b>MZoneBlog</b></span> </a> <br /><div class="js-tweet-text">BREAKING: Lance Armstrong personally thanks Manti Te'o for taking the spotlight off him for a few hours </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-4b4qOsThY/UPe8r4ZwhrI/AAAAAAAADSY/61foWM_PSNE/s1600/like_a_champion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-4b4qOsThY/UPe8r4ZwhrI/AAAAAAAADSY/61foWM_PSNE/s640/like_a_champion.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-82756263550649165682012-12-31T02:50:00.000-05:002012-12-31T02:50:33.255-05:00Know Your Foe - South Carolina<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal">The Wolverines close their 133<sup>rd</sup> season on New Year’s Day when they take on South Carolina in the <strike>Hall Of Fame</strike>&nbsp;corporate-steakhouse-chain bowl. This will be only the third meeting between the schools - each team has beaten the other on their opponent’s turf so it’s only appropriate that this rubber match is on neutral grounds. Michigan hasn’t played the Gamecocks since 1985 which was before the MZone, before many MZone readers were fans, hell, before many MZone readers were born. So you may be wondering, who are these South Carolinians and what should we know about them? To answer these and many other questions, the MZone is proud to present this year's special bowl edition of KNOW YOUR FOE.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gfA1t2eCpW4/UOEtGFnR4rI/AAAAAAAAAwA/GtQ7C6zGetQ/s1600/seal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gfA1t2eCpW4/UOEtGFnR4rI/AAAAAAAAAwA/GtQ7C6zGetQ/s200/seal.jpg" width="126" /></a><b>History </b>– The University of South Carolina (also known as USC or SC - no not that <a href="http://www.usc.edu/">USC or SC</a> – or Carolina – no, not that <a href="http://unc.edu/">Carolina</a>), was founded in late 1801 as South Carolina College to “promote harmony between the Lowcountry and the Backcountry.” For those not familiar, the lowcountry is the southeastern part of the state, along the Atlantic while the backcountry is the northwest portion, now known as Upstate. The first classes were held in 1805 with an enrollment of nine students. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yZGWOv4leVo/UOEtrnA-ZYI/AAAAAAAAAwI/_dy-asTqDsk/s1600/modern-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yZGWOv4leVo/UOEtrnA-ZYI/AAAAAAAAAwI/_dy-asTqDsk/s200/modern-logo.jpg" width="200" /></a>But like every other school in the South, USC’s history was abruptly altered by the Civil War. Enrollment had grown to 72 in 1862, but all of those students volunteered for the Confederate army in March. The college temporarily closed and then opened to those under 18 which brought the enrollment to, again, nine. At that point the college was closed down and converted into a hospital. The campus was likely spared destruction because of its status as a hospital, preserving the historic Horseshoe&nbsp;which serves as the center of campus.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The college re-opened in 1866 and was converted to the University of South Carolina in 1865. Unlike so many schools in the South, USC had a measure of racial equity as racial discrimination was prevented in admissions, and two black trustees were part of the governing board in 1869. The first black student was admitted in 1873, decades ahead of most other Southern schools.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Location</b> – Columbia, South Carolina. Columbia is the state capital and with a population around 130,000, the largest city in South Carolina. Located smack dab in the middle of the Palmetto State, Columbia enjoys a diversified economy highlighted by the state government, healthcare, and the university. It also hosts a diversified list of famous natives, from actors <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=aziz+ansari&amp;oq=aziz+ansari&amp;gs_l=youtube.3..0l10.2033.4640.0.5293.11.6.0.5.5.0.88.331.6.6.0...0.0...1ac.1.GQcf_pGbVoY">Aziz Ansari</a> and Kristin Davis to musical acts Hootie and the Blowfish, and Toro Y Moi, to NBAers Tyrone Corbin and Alex English.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vjwfd9f8tl8/UOEuddYr80I/AAAAAAAAAwQ/_zmkltd7pLc/s1600/columbia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vjwfd9f8tl8/UOEuddYr80I/AAAAAAAAAwQ/_zmkltd7pLc/s200/columbia.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Amazingly, this isn’t the only <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Missouri">Columbia to host a major university</a>, and it’s not even unique in the conference. The most amazing feature of Columbia, however, is how freaking hot and humid it gets in the summer. KYF found ourselves in Columbia a few Junes ago when the mercury topped out near 110 and the humidity was almost as high. Wearing the dark colors of the university is a death wish under those conditions.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Nickname </b>– Gamecocks. One of the most unique nicknames, not just in college athletics but all of sports, its origins for USC are somewhat obscure. Some sources claim it was borne as an honor to Thomas Sumter, a South Carolina native and Revolutionary War hero. A British general commented that Sumter “fought like a gamecock.” Whether that’s the case, the university’s teams had several nicknames until 100 years ago. In 1902, USC upset rival Clemson and students and fans paraded through the streets of Columbia holding a transparency drawn by a math professor by the name of – we kid you not – Horton Colcock. Two weeks later, newspaper reports began referring to the team as the “Game Cocks”. The two words were joined a couple of years later and the nickname has stuck since. KYF longs for the day when a man named Horton Colcock would be considered a hero and a man of letters, rather than the subject of relentless and horrendous ridicule.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1wVpNEdlSZs/UOEvjjFiC6I/AAAAAAAAAwc/-gMbmXq5QZk/s1600/chickengeorge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1wVpNEdlSZs/UOEvjjFiC6I/AAAAAAAAAwc/-gMbmXq5QZk/s200/chickengeorge.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">A gamecock, of course, is a type of rooster that was often used for cockfighting in which the roosters fought to the death. Though cockfighting is legal throughout many regions of the world, it’s been illegal in the United States since Louisiana became the last state to outlaw it in 2008. Cockfighting was a central plot point of <a href="http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/TheLittleJerry.html"><i>The Little Jerry </i>episode</a> of <i>Seinfeld </i>as well as the Chicken George character in <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots_(TV_miniseries)">Roots</a></i><i>. </i>The South Carolina Gamecocks have entered pop culture most predominantly on baseball caps worn by many a frat boy with the shortened ‘Cocks adorning the front. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sbbany1jPRE/UOEwbAlHg_I/AAAAAAAAAxE/U3-15JZHJn0/s1600/cocky-notthattheresanythingwrongwithit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sbbany1jPRE/UOEwbAlHg_I/AAAAAAAAAxE/U3-15JZHJn0/s200/cocky-notthattheresanythingwrongwithit.jpg" width="113" /></a><b>Mascot</b> – Cocky. The costumed version of a cartoon gamecock made his official debut for the university in 1980. For the previous two years USC had a costumed mascot named Big Spur, but it was considered too big and unwieldy so Cocky was created as Big Spur’s son. Cocky was met with immediate derision and not considered dignified enough for the university. Look at him – I guess the measure of dignified has changed over time. Cocky started small after the ridicule, becoming the mascot for the women’s teams and the baseball team and slowly took over for Big Spur. Hear that Dave Brandon? Just introduce some abomination of a mascot and plow through. Eventually everyone will accept and even love it, no matter how undignified.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">He’s won a mascot “National Championship” four times and has had two of his portrayers move on to professional sports – one as Billy the (Florida) Marlin and one as Sir Purr, the Carolina Panthers' mascot. So South Carolina could be considered “Mascot U.” Cocky has become such a strong representative of the university that one of the most active on-line message boards is Cockytalk.com. Just be careful that you type that into your browser correctly.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Colors</b> – Garnet and Black. KYF has gone over the whole red/<a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2006/11/know-your-foe-ohio-state.html">scarlet</a>/<a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2007/11/know-your-foe-wisconsin-2007.html">cardinal</a>/<a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2011/11/know-your-foe-nebraska-2011.html">crimson</a>&nbsp;thing many times before. But South Carolina doesn’t really fall into that group of red teams. Garnet is clearly a much darker shade of red and is more maroon than red. Only one other team uses garnet as an official color (Florida State) and so South Carolina’s colors, though a little dark together, are quite unique. And when combined with the bright white of the helmets, this is an excellent combination. The combo of Garnet and Black is used by the school and its fans as a rallying cry, much the same way Maize and Blue is used for Michigan.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The school’s teams have always used the color combination as they date back to 1895 when a banner was presented to the football team that contained the colors. <br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Logo/Helmet</b> – The South Carolina helmet has seen many changes over the years, but it’s had a gamecock on the side since 1969 and that’s been paired with a block C since 1975. The colors have changed since then, including an unfortunate use of camouflage in 2011, but the current crisp, white helmet with the unique logo is the best in the school’s history, and among the best in college football. <br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K_o4MLxMuuM/UOExYShy7JI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/grgmSbV4Ixo/s1600/helmets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="83" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K_o4MLxMuuM/UOExYShy7JI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/grgmSbV4Ixo/s320/helmets.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MNzP7egKzu0/UOEyGsSVhkI/AAAAAAAAAxw/4oLBVsmvMRE/s1600/athletic_logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MNzP7egKzu0/UOEyGsSVhkI/AAAAAAAAAxw/4oLBVsmvMRE/s200/athletic_logo.gif" width="153" /></a>Those helmets are so great because they use the great Carolina logo. The unique nickname leads to the use of the ornithological-correct gamecock. There’s no goofy cartoon here, and not some generic logo that <a href="http://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/fvh8dosf3e6m21tmdn38ue7wv/Boise_State_Broncos/2002/Primary_Logo">could</a> <a href="http://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/6843/Central_Michigan_Chippewas/1997/Primary_Logo">have</a> <a href="http://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/4ch6nx0binzpeaqq208zx3b0j/Western_Michigan_Broncos/1998/Primary_Logo">been</a> designed by some 15 year old on his MacBook Pro. Add in the use of the collegiate block C and it’s a classic logo that should never be altered. Besides, the logo was a centerpiece of an <a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2006/04/logo-rorschach-test.html">MZone classic from the deep past</a>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Fight song</b> – <i><a href="http://fightmusic.com/mp3/sec/South_Carolina__Step_To_The_Rear.mp3">TheFighting Gamecocks Lead The Way</a>.</i>&nbsp;This is one of the fastest tempos for a fight song that KYF has heard and it sounds like a fight song that would be written for a Broadway musical. And for good reason – the original tune, <i>Step to the Rear</i>, was written for the musical <i>How Now, Dow Jones.</i> The song was adapted as the new SC fight song in the late 1960s by former football coach and athletic director Paul Dietzel. He wrote the lyrics to the new song, no doubt cashing in on royalties every time the song is played. The lyrics are generic at best and lame at worst. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Hey, Let's give a cheer, Carolina is here,</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Fighting Gamecocks lead the way.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Who gives a care, If the going gets tough,</div><div class="MsoNormal">And when it is rough, that's when the 'Cocks get going.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Hail to our colors of garnet and Black,</div><div class="MsoNormal">In Carolina pride have we.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So, Go Gamecocks Go - FIGHT!</div><div class="MsoNormal">Drive for the goal - FIGHT!</div><div class="MsoNormal">USC will win today - GO COCKS!</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, let's give a cheer, Carolina is here.</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Fighting Gamecocks All The Way!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s unclear why the original fight song, <i><a href="http://fightmusic.com/mp3/sec/South_Carolina__Old_USC_Fight_Song.mp3">Carolina Let Your Voices Ring</a></i>&nbsp;was changed by Dietzel. The song, though unspectacular, is clearly better than <i>The Fighting Gamecocks Lead The Way</i>. The natural inclination for an ol’ Yankee like KYF was to assume there were some politically incorrect lyrics in <i>Carolina Let Your Voices Ring</i>, but that’s not the case, and the song is still played as part of the band’s football pre-game show.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Carolina, Let your voices ring, to you we sing our praises high</div><div class="MsoNormal">Ring out! Sing out! On to victory! Forever fight we'll do or die</div><div class="MsoNormal">Carolina, Fight with all your might, let all unite in proud acclaim</div><div class="MsoNormal">Then battle on together, one and all forever</div><div class="MsoNormal">Fight, we've got to win the game, Rah! Rah! Rah!</div><div class="MsoNormal">Garnet &amp; Black we raise, Gamecocks forever praise</div><div class="MsoNormal">So fight for Carolina, Cheer for Carolina, Hail to our U.S.C.</div><div class="MsoNormal">We cheer forever U.S.C.!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So here’s a song with a better tune and better lyrics and you change it for something from Broadway with lyrics written by your football coach? It doesn’t make sense. Besides, how successful can you expect your teams to be when your fight song is a Broadway tune? KYF has to wonder if some marketing guys thought it would create great synergy. We wouldn’t be surprised if Dave Brandon is in touch with Andrew Lloyd Weber right now about changing <i>The Victors.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Academics</b> – According to the most recent <a href="http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges"><i>U. S. News</i> rankingof America's Best Colleges</a>, South Carolina languishes at 115th, which ties them with four schools, including Oregon. This ranking would put them at the bottom of the Big Ten well behind current cellar-dweller Nebraska (#101), and marks South Carolina as – by far – the worst academic institution to play Michigan this season. But the Gamecocks don’t care about that - they’re ranked 9th in the 14-team Southeast Conference, and well behind in-state rival Clemson (#68).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Athletics</b> – South Carolina has been a bit of a nomad regarding conference affiliation. The football and basketball teams were part of the Southern Conference from 1922 until 1953 when the Gamecocks became a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. But too many recruiting disputes led USC to leave the conference and play as an independent starting in 1971. Football remained independent while the rest of the teams joined the Metro Conference in 1983. Finally, in 1991 Carolina joined the Southeast Conference when it expanded to 12 schools. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">No matter which conference they’re competing in, South Carolina has had surprisingly little success. The school offers 19 varsity sports (Michigan has 27), but the Gamecocks can only claim three national championships in any sport. The 2002 women’s track and field team was the first Gamecock championship team, followed by back to back national titles for the baseball team in 2010 and 2011. And, no, KYF doesn’t count national titles in women’s equestrian. Even conference titles are scarce. The football team has never won the SEC and has won just one conference title in its history (1969, ACC) though its years as an independent may have limited this number. The men’s basketball team has one SEC championship (1997) and has only made eight NCAA tournaments. The two NIT titles are no longer impressive to Michigan fans. Baseball is, by far, the most successful team at South Carolina, having won those national titles, along with three SEC titles in the past 12 years, to go along with 11 College World Series appearances which include four runner-up finishes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ubKvaArH_lM/UOEsk2ygefI/AAAAAAAAAv4/JD80OwBgmXQ/s1600/stadium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ubKvaArH_lM/UOEsk2ygefI/AAAAAAAAAv4/JD80OwBgmXQ/s200/stadium.jpg" width="200" /></a>The football team was under .500 for their history until a couple of years ago, and has only won as many as nine games five times (including the past three seasons). The Gamecocks play in 80,250 seat Williams-Brice stadium, which resembles one of those baseball cookie-cutter stadiums built in the early ‘70s, but displays one of the loudest crowds on Saturdays.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Despite all of the baseball success, there haven’t been that many major leaguers who wore the Garnet and Black. The most well-known is former Met Mookie Wilson. The basketball team has sent only 22 players to the NBA, with former Nugget Alex English being the most successful. The football team has had 11 first round picks, including the #1 overall, Heisman winner George Rogers in 1981. Sterling Sharpe is probably the most successful Gamecock in the NFL, along with current Falcon defensive end John Abraham.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Famous alums </b>– For a school with such a long history, South Carolina’s list of famous alumni is disappointing. They did corner the market on blond newsreaders in the ‘90s, with Rita Cosby, Leeza Gibbons, and Van Earl Wright all being Gamecocks. All four members of the band Hootie and the Blowfish attended the university which might have been cool in 1994 but not so much today. Not only was that Hootie not the only Hootie to have attended SC, but he’s not even the only famous Hootie. William “Hootie” Johnson, the former chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club is an SC alum, as is Robert McNair, owner of the NFL’s Houston Texans. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The list also includes plenty of local politicians, including plenty of congressmen, senators, and governors, but, alas, no <a href="u.s.presidentshttp://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gf38.html">U.S.Presidents</a>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>The Game</b> – The end to this uneventful season takes place in a generic bowl against a solid, but bland team. No wonder there seems to be a lack of enthusiasm for this bowl game compared to last year. This year’s Michigan team is still hard to read, even after 12 games. They have little difficulty with teams that aren’t as good as they are. But they haven’t beaten a good team all year, and have shown a propensity to cough up the football – and the game – against those better teams. The poor coaching performance against Ohio still resonates, and is a concern going up against a much better squad.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">SOUTH CAROLINA 16</div><div class="MsoNormal">MICHIGAN 9</div><!--EndFragment-->Benny Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765029490855463490noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-66677053278221025252012-12-24T15:59:00.001-05:002012-12-24T16:03:14.916-05:00Happy Christmas & Merry Holidays from the MZone!Even if you're dreaming of a white Christmas, we'd like to add some Maize and Blue to that.<br /><br />Merry Christmas.<br /><br />Happy Holidays.<br /><br />Go Blue!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BoZdl0oRxvg/UNjCAKm19PI/AAAAAAAADQ4/qafGoW9Pzus/s1600/Big+House+Xmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BoZdl0oRxvg/UNjCAKm19PI/AAAAAAAADQ4/qafGoW9Pzus/s640/Big+House+Xmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/i3DnOyoYBwM" width="640"></iframe><br /> (pic via U-M's Facebook page, video courtesy of the U-M Alumni Association)Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-82304804466470970232012-12-11T16:00:00.001-05:002012-12-11T16:00:18.108-05:00No Bowl But New Streets in C-busSorry for the light posting.&nbsp; Just trying to wrap up everything for the end of the year.&nbsp; Ah, real life.<br /><br />Thankfully, our pal Surrounded in Columbus is always good for a nugget or four from deep behind enemy lines.&nbsp; Today he sent the picture below with the following email:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>Most people would be disappointed to be 12-0 &amp; staying home.&nbsp; They're not most people.</i></blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I5Z0F58ILu8/UMeeQOm79OI/AAAAAAAADQc/9pZxMld-CSg/s1600/Columbus-20121211-00015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I5Z0F58ILu8/UMeeQOm79OI/AAAAAAAADQc/9pZxMld-CSg/s400/Columbus-20121211-00015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />No word yet on when Tressel Boned Us But We Still Hoisted Him on Our Shoulders Like Morons Lane is going up.Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-32826004731929568002012-11-30T15:58:00.000-05:002012-11-30T16:59:29.201-05:002012 Ohio State Bowl Game T-Shirts<br />Get 'em while they last!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cI2a-Y4W7Kg/ULkdLqnYR_I/AAAAAAAADQE/TA4nvwZuo-0/s1600/OSU+bowl+tee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cI2a-Y4W7Kg/ULkdLqnYR_I/AAAAAAAADQE/TA4nvwZuo-0/s640/OSU+bowl+tee.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><br /><br />(HT: SiC. He wasn't sure of original creator of this little piece of brilliance as it arrived in his inbox. So if you know, let us know and we'll pass it on)<br /><br />UPDATE: U-M QB-to-be Shane Morris tweeted <a href="https://twitter.com/S_Morris12/status/272834080016592896">this</a> after the M/OSU game.&nbsp; Again, don't know if he's creator, but it's the earliest version of the joke I can find.Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-26631085220769809872012-11-29T03:06:00.001-05:002012-11-29T14:11:24.220-05:00And you wonder how it starts...Found all these vids post M/OSU game.&nbsp; Never too young to start teaching kids to be classy fans.&nbsp; <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LDoY4GhS9E4" width="640"></iframe> <br /><br />Don't you just love how mom literally bribed the kid above with some kind of treat, like she's training a puppy? Good job, mom. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NWLOe7OAumk" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9stY-zTQO_U" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rsSBT66d67U" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />So when they grow up, they can become this guy (yes, there's a "payoff" to his video at the end)... <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/C3N1fbFvY28" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />O-H!Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-85253754745495048002012-11-24T16:57:00.001-05:002012-11-24T16:57:23.339-05:00OSU Healing Picture If Al Borges Ran the MZoneI'm going to put in the same effort for this healing picture that Al Borges put into calling the 2nd half.&nbsp; Why should I try harder?&nbsp; Hell, I don't even get paid for this.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4zo28-lhzSA/ULFCqI1QzRI/AAAAAAAADPs/HhtM042BtXI/s1600/iowa-bikini-girl-1+-+Version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4zo28-lhzSA/ULFCqI1QzRI/AAAAAAAADPs/HhtM042BtXI/s640/iowa-bikini-girl-1+-+Version+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-7358186121403267302012-11-24T02:58:00.000-05:002012-11-24T02:58:02.719-05:00MZone Exclusive: U-M Football Team Arriving in ColumbusHow bad is it for the Wolverines when they arrive in Columbus?&nbsp; Check out this exclusive video of Michigan's football team pulling up to the Horseshoe:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZJlmYy-mAZY" width="640"></iframe><br /><br />And yes, Harrison Ford <i>is</i> on the U-M staff this season. Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-52587710827610990532012-11-23T04:06:00.000-05:002012-11-23T13:21:17.524-05:00Know Your Foe: Ohio 2012<i>It's finally here:&nbsp; Meeechigan vs Ohio State. Maize and Blue vs Scarlet and Gray.&nbsp; The greatest rivalry in all of college football.&nbsp; A showdown so special that not even <a href="http://www.michiganzone.blogspot.com/2012/11/drunk-dialing-with-jim-delany.html">Jim Delany</a> can screw it up, try as he might.</i><br /><br /><i>Tomorrow marks the 109th edition of The Game.&nbsp; Last year, Michigan beat Ohio for the first time since 2003 (although Ohio hasn't beaten Michigan in a game that's still in the record books since 2009 thanks to <a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2011/06/mzone-family-films-present-vestocchio.html">the exploits of Cheaty McSweatervest)</a> and Michigan holds a 58-44-6 overall advantage in the series.&nbsp; But that you know, what you didn't know about the angry mob of f-bomb aficionados from That School in Ohio is found below - in the final regular season edition of Know Your Foe, fergodssake.</i><br /><i></i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--06lohpcStM/UK8yC5QNSqI/AAAAAAAADPU/O0z5yihel3A/s1600/KYF+OSU+seal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--06lohpcStM/UK8yC5QNSqI/AAAAAAAADPU/O0z5yihel3A/s200/KYF+OSU+seal.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>1870: The last year they didn't have<br />to vacate some of their wins</b>.<br /><b>OSU: Where even the book on<br />their seal is blank.&nbsp; O-H!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b>History</b> - The school was founded as <i>THE</i> Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1870 as a land grant institution.&nbsp; Later that year, the first group of 24 students, including three women, started attending classes (while probably wearing "Fuck Michigan" shirts).&nbsp; Like most land-grant schools of the era, an internal battle was fought to determine the mission of the school. On one side was the "narrow gauge" crowd, looking to teach subjects strictly related to agriculture and mechanical functions. On the other side was the "broad gauge" crowd looking for a more diversified curriculum that included liberal arts and sciences. As was the case in almost all of these land grant battles, the “broad gauge” side eventually won. In 1878, in light of an expanded focus, the college permanently changed its name to Ohio State University.<br /><br />But that wasn't the only battle for OSU, because the school was also under fire from other schools within the state of Ohio. Both Miami University and Ohio University were considered more prestigious institutions at the time -- and they were justifiably upset to not be selected as THE state university and the recipient of government allocations. Former U.S. President <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/rh19.html">Rutherford B. Hayes</a> lobbied hard for monies for Tosu, mocked the other schools, and basically browbeat the state legislature to give the new institution a prominent position above Miami and OU. In the end, the state legislature settled the issue by declaring Ohio State as the only school that would be allowed to offer doctoral degrees. Miami and Ohio would be limited to Bachelor and Masters Programs.&nbsp; This also established the proud Tosu trend of bullies named Hayes bringing their school glory.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1KG9OnvVVGY/Ts9r3ksJSWI/AAAAAAAACxo/z2JFL1dEt08/s1600/KYF+osu_columbus_flag.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1KG9OnvVVGY/Ts9r3ksJSWI/AAAAAAAACxo/z2JFL1dEt08/s1600/KYF+osu_columbus_flag.jpg" /></a></div><b>Location</b> - Columbus, Ohio.&nbsp; The city - named after the lost explorer - is the capitol and largest in the state of Ohio. Many folks are surprised to learn that C-bus is the biggest because the cities of Cleveland and Cincinnati are more well known, home to major league sports teams, and not the center of evil in the known universe.&nbsp; According to Benny's 2007 KYF, Columbus has kept its largest city in Ohio title by bullying the few surrounding suburbs into annexation in exchange for sewer and water service that the city controls (thus making Michigan fans who call the city a sewer not too far off).<br /><br /><b>Nickname</b> -&nbsp; The <a href="http://www.buckeyetree.net/">Buckeye</a> is the official state tree and a creative term of endearment for the pioneers on the Ohio frontier.&nbsp; Apparently, one of the first acts of the original settlers was to cut one of these stinky trees down and somehow this led to calling themselves buckeyes ever since. The leaves appear in a five-leaf cluster, and the fruit (nut) resembles the eye of a deer, thus the name: buck-eye.&nbsp; It’s poisonous to humans, horses, cattle, and coaches as it apparently causes them to <a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2006/04/how-to-piss-off-buckeye.html">punch opposing players</a> and <a href="http://www.michiganzone.blogspot.com/2012/11/osu-band-to-spell-o-lie-o-in-honor-of.html">lie to the NCAA</a>.<br /><br />Coincidentally, there is a city in the U.S. <a href="http://www.buckeyeaz.gov/">named Buckeye</a>, though it's in Arizona, not Ohio. <br /><br /><b>Mascot</b> - In 1965, Ohio State students Ray Bourhis and Sally Huber decided Ohio State needed a “game day” mascot and persuaded the athletic council to study the matter. At the time, mascots were commonly live animals brought into the stadium or arena. A buck deer was contemplated but that idea was eventually rejected given the impossible logistics of keeping a deer calm in a large crowd (even a deer can only hear so many f-bombs before losing its shit).<br /><br />Instead, they went with a 40-pound paper-maché buckeye nut which was worn over the head and torso, with legs sticking out.&nbsp; They named him <a href="http://www.coachtressel.com/tradition/brutus.php">Brutus Buckeye</a>. He made his initial appearance at the 1965 homecoming football game against Minnesota. The heavy costume did not last long and it was soon replaced by a more permanent and durable fiberglass shell. Sometime during the 1970’s they added a baseball cap to the bucknut with limbs. Today Brutus looks like something out of a muppet nightmare, frightens anyone he comes in contact with, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=577hN8tQM6g">angers other mascots into an uncontrollable rage</a> and causes still others to <a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2010/10/behold-showgirls-of-pro-tosu-vids-no-im.html">do this on YouTube</a>. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K6leQzJasvU/Ts9ts4aMXLI/AAAAAAAACyA/uJWzLCH29gI/s1600/KYF+Brutus+timeline.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K6leQzJasvU/Ts9ts4aMXLI/AAAAAAAACyA/uJWzLCH29gI/s400/KYF+Brutus+timeline.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Thing<span style="font-size: x-small;">-</span>Atop<span style="font-size: x-small;">-</span>A<span style="font-size: x-small;">-Donut-Shop</span> Brutus...Lonely Brutus...Asshole Frat Guy Brutus</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Colors</b> - Scarlet and Gray. The official colors were selected by three students in 1878. The reasoning for the combination was that they were a “pleasing combination” and weren’t being used by any other college. The original selection of orange and black was shot down when the students discovered that Princeton used those colors. This was the closest Ohio State has ever come to being confused with Princeton.<br /><br /><b>Logo/Helmet</b> - The primary athletic Ohio State logo from 1957 to 1987 was a simple, yet enduring block “O”. Since 1987 they have added a more modern “Ohio State” arched through the middle. They have a ton of secondary logos, the most common combining the classic “O” with a buckeye leaf and nut.<br /><br />One should be careful, however, not to confuse the official school logo with their now-more-well-know logo, <a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2006/06/buckstache.html">The Buckstache</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AE2eQKvR9Bs/Ts9uzUSaSbI/AAAAAAAACyI/lsA82sTzwwI/s1600/KYF+OSU+logos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AE2eQKvR9Bs/Ts9uzUSaSbI/AAAAAAAACyI/lsA82sTzwwI/s640/KYF+OSU+logos.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BrGfArvhDM8/Ts9vtXHqN4I/AAAAAAAACyY/Bapjwuurro4/s1600/Buckstache+New.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BrGfArvhDM8/Ts9vtXHqN4I/AAAAAAAACyY/Bapjwuurro4/s320/Buckstache+New.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><br />Normally, the Buckeyes have their distinctive silver bullet helmet design.&nbsp; It had been unchanged since 1968 until Nike got involved and OSU whored-out The Game with "special" and "Pro-Combat" uniforms the last couple years, <a href="http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2012/11/20/ohio-state-will-wear-pro-combat-uniforms-against-michigan/">including tomorrow</a>.&nbsp; They also love to award their <strike>little pot-leaf</strike> <a href="http://library.osu.edu/projects/OSUvsMichigan/leaves.html">Buckeye Leaf helmet stickers</a>.&nbsp; The design was "originally drawn in 1950 by alum and comic strip artist Milton Caniff and was intended to represent the buckeye tree as a symbol for strength and sturdiness of all Ohio State students.&nbsp; The first Buckeye leaf decal appeared on the helmets of the 1967 OSU football team and are still given to players today for execution of an exceptional play on the field." They're now trademarked by the school.<br /><br /><b>Fight Song</b> - In 1915, OSU student William A. Dougherty, Jr., set out to write the perfect fight song for his school. Dougherty felt that something more exciting was needed for pep rallies and football games than the sad melancholy <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtxtU23DjI4">Carmen Ohio</a> (which sounds like something the students would sing in Dead Poets Society).&nbsp; Thus, <a href="http://youtu.be/7Fk63DnvV0Q">Across the Field</a> was born.&nbsp; It debuted on October 16, 1915 against Illinois and has not stopped playing since (although it is important to note that they had to wait another 4 years before they could play it during a win against Michigan).<br /><br />While this is the main fight song, <a href="http://youtu.be/Ha6roJfoGjc">Buckeye Battle Cry</a> is played after touchdowns.&nbsp; Fan favorite <a href="http://youtu.be/2IkUBGQ-kfk">Hang on Sloopy</a> (NOT Snoopy) is played every home game, and no mention of anything to do with the Ohio State music would be complete without a mention of Script<strike> <a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2011/03/script-o-lie-o.html">O-lie-o</a></strike> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPNnIFH6_RU">Ohio</a> in which their marching band boldly steps onto the field and performs a move they <a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2005/11/best-damn-copycats-in-land.html">initially learned from the Michigan Marching Band</a>.<br /><br />As much as it pains us to say it, KYF thinks OSU's fight song and Battle Cry are top notch.&nbsp; And if you've ever been in the 'Shoe when Hang on Sloopy plays, it's pretty darn cool.&nbsp; Okay, enough compliments.&nbsp; Let's take a look at OSU academics. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-avFrn4Wv4Es/Ts9w_NeexmI/AAAAAAAACyg/UUXiBCy8btk/s1600/KYF+OSU+coeds+2.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-avFrn4Wv4Es/Ts9w_NeexmI/AAAAAAAACyg/UUXiBCy8btk/s320/KYF+OSU+coeds+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mila K<span style="font-size: x-small;">unis is a Tosu fan?</span></span> </b></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Academics</b> - According to <a href="http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/spp%2B50/page+2">the latest U.S. News &amp; World Report rankings</a>, OSU is #<span style="font-size: small;">56, down from #55 last&nbsp; yea<span style="font-size: small;">r</span></span>, tied with Noreastern (the school, not the storms).&nbsp; But they did rank 16th (down from 8th last year.&nbsp; Oh, sad face) in U.S. News' list of&nbsp; <a href="http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/up-and-coming?src=stats">"Up-and-Coming" Schools</a>, tied with NC State, VCU and Biola University.&nbsp; So from everybody here at the MZone, congrats and good luck with that, you Buckeye up and comers!&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>Athletics</b> - Few schools have the athletic tradition of Ohio State. They currently field 36 varsity teams and are one of only three universities (Michigan and Cal-Berkeley being the others) to have won national championships in the big three sports (football, men's basketball, and baseball).<br /><br />In 2007, Sports Illustrated nicknamed Ohio State's athletic program as being "The Program" due to the unsurpassed facilities, unparalleled amount of men's and women's sport teams, their success, and the financial support of an impressive fan base."&nbsp; Gee, after The Downfall, I wonder if they'd still say that today? &nbsp; <br /><br />Exceptional former athletes at Ohio State include Olympic Gold Medalist and Dude Who Made Hitler Eat Crow <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Owens">Jesse Owens</a>, NBA greats John Havlicek and Jerry Lucas, college basketball coaching legend and chair-thrower Bobby Knight, and golf superstar Jack Nicklaus (attended, did not graduate).<br /><br /><b>Football</b> - It is in football that most people recognize and associate Ohio State. They’ve won five recognized national championships, including most recently the 2002 crown (due to a PI flag thrown about as long after the play as it took you to read KYF thus far). They’ve won 34 Big Ten titles (a number I didn't have to update after last years KYF due to their season being wiped away). They have a combined seven Heisman Trophies including the only two-time winner: Archie Griffin in 1974 and 1975.&nbsp; They have produced many NFL stars and college and pro football Hall of Famers. Famous names you might recognize include Jim Otis, Jack Tatum, Eddie George, Chris Spielman, Orlando Pace, and Cris Carter. Recent NFL first round draft picks include Chris "Beanie" Wells, Malcom Jenkins, Vernon Gholston, Anthony Gonzales, and Teddy Ginn Jr.<br /><br />However, Ohio State is football probably most well known as a place that once-great coaches eventually are forced out in disgrace.&nbsp; The two most iconic coaches in the school's history met such a fate: <a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2006/07/buckeye-memories.html">Woody Hayes for punching</a> a <a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2006/04/how-to-piss-off-buckeye.html">Clemson football player</a> after he intercepted Art Schlichter;&nbsp; and <a href="http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2011/06/mzone-family-films-present-vestocchio.html">Jim Tressel who "forgot" to tell his bosses</a>, oh, 642 times about his players associating with shady characters, selling merchandise and lying to the NCAA.&nbsp; Naturally then, Ohio State is going to honor Tressel this Saturday as he is rumored to be taking the field with the rest of the 2002 Buckeye National Championship team*.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m8SOUvZBcyw/Ts9x1RXPWxI/AAAAAAAACyw/CiWgQmqeMR0/s1600/KYF+OSU+charlie2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m8SOUvZBcyw/Ts9x1RXPWxI/AAAAAAAACyw/CiWgQmqeMR0/s400/KYF+OSU+charlie2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b>Famous Alums</b> - As you would expect, Ohio State has a long and somewhat impressive list of famous alums. They have many successful CEOs and political leaders. They have produced two Nobel Peace prize winners and have accumulated 10 Pulitzers. Recognizable names include former UofM President Harlan Hatcher, <a href="http://www.tuskegeeairmen.org/">Tuskegee Airmen</a> Squadron Commander Harold Brown, WWII <a href="http://www.medalofhonor.com/">Medal of Honor</a> winner Robert Scott, <a href="http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/44.cfm">Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center</a> co-founder Charles Kettering, <a href="http://www.scholastic.com/goosebumps/">Goosebumps</a> author RL Stine, <a href="http://www.windex.com/">Windex</a> inventor Harry Drackett, <a href="http://www.shoneys.com/">Shoney’s</a> founder Alex Schoenbaum, ESPN SportsCenter director Vince Doria, Actress Patricia Heaton, annoying comedian Richard Lewis, <a href="http://www.rascalflatts.com/cma.php">Rascal Flatts</a> lead singer Gary LeVox, Ric Ocasek from The Cars, country singer Dwight Yoakim, <a href="http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers/frick/buck_jack.jsp">Baseball Hall of Fame</a> sportscaster Jack Buck, and the co-founder of Wikipedia Larry Sanger. They also provided an education to serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. By far the most humorous and ironic name I find on this list is <a href="http://www.teflon.com/">Teflon</a> inventor Roy Plunkett which is probably why it took so long for folks to finally realize the truth about Tressel.<br /><br />As much as Michigan fans don't want to admit it, Bo Schembechler has a graduate degree from Ohio State. From his coaching days under Woody, he also has a pair of those little gold-pants charms they give out for beating Michigan (but never tried to sell his on eBay).<br /><br />KYF counted <a href="http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/08/theyre_a_little_awestruck_by.html">at least four</a> NASA astronauts, there may be more. And although the state of Ohio has produced eight US Presidents (William Henry Harrison, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Warren Harding) -- none of them attended or graduated from Ohio State.&nbsp; But they are an "Up and Coming" school.&nbsp; So who knows what the future holds (although <a href="http://www.michiganzone.blogspot.com/2012/11/fan-film-breakdown-we-were-watching-osu.html">if these Buckeye fans</a> are an indication, it ain't good).<br /><br /><b>The Game</b> - Last year, Michigan got the monkey off its back, beating Ohio State for the first time since 2003.&nbsp; Even still, KYF thinks it's actually more important for Michigan to win The Game this year than Ohio State.&nbsp; If the Bucks win, Michigan's victory last year - at home against one of the weaker teams in recent OSU memory - will feel like an aberration.&nbsp; A one-off to the streak* started under The Vest*.&nbsp; But if Michigan can come into the Shoe and defeat Urban's undefeated team, then I think we could be one step closer to a new, back and forth, Ten Year War.&nbsp; Because (unfortunately), I don't see U-M running off a Cooper-esque string of victories against Urban.&nbsp; But you never know.<br /><br />Sadly, KYF doesn't believe such a string will start tomorrow, with the difference being the home field: &nbsp; <br /><br />Michigan - 20<br />Ohio State -24Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17480875.post-73889584196485340902012-11-22T00:51:00.001-05:002012-11-22T00:51:35.937-05:00Happy Thanksgiving... And Beat Ohio!Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from the MZone!<br /><br />Now, eat your turkey, hug Nana and get your focus back on The Game.&nbsp; To help you do that, here are a couple of our favorite wallpapers that our pal Andy (<a href="https://twitter.com/SemperBlue88">@SemperBlue88</a> on Twitter) put together last year.<br /><br />GO BLUE!<br /><br />BEAT OHIO!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_V7EccL0lh4/Ts0k2CJcvOI/AAAAAAAACww/Hvwz7D_HP6k/s1600/beat_ohio_Bo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_V7EccL0lh4/Ts0k2CJcvOI/AAAAAAAACww/Hvwz7D_HP6k/s640/beat_ohio_Bo.png" width="640" />&nbsp;</a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o7hSx8GdkZY/Ts0k-w1MthI/AAAAAAAACw4/rurQk9P0d_o/s1600/beat_ohio_Desmond.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o7hSx8GdkZY/Ts0k-w1MthI/AAAAAAAACw4/rurQk9P0d_o/s640/beat_ohio_Desmond.png" width="640" />&nbsp;</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxmpA08s2p0/Ts0lFuzuO-I/AAAAAAAACxA/W_9ClzCbgAQ/s1600/beat_ohio_Woodson.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxmpA08s2p0/Ts0lFuzuO-I/AAAAAAAACxA/W_9ClzCbgAQ/s640/beat_ohio_Woodson.png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MPGO_p7yeKA/TsvKoj3pLQI/AAAAAAAACwQ/_AVFU3YuRlE/s1600/beat_ohio_modern.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MPGO_p7yeKA/TsvKoj3pLQI/AAAAAAAACwQ/_AVFU3YuRlE/s640/beat_ohio_modern.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QK4jnFbYr40/TsvLrmsdswI/AAAAAAAACwY/aQKfZy3Gscw/s1600/beat_ohio_leather.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QK4jnFbYr40/TsvLrmsdswI/AAAAAAAACwY/aQKfZy3Gscw/s640/beat_ohio_leather.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xzG7rkKuf74/TsvPofP8RjI/AAAAAAAACwg/tn1d-QigPjo/s1600/helmet2011_beatohio2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xzG7rkKuf74/TsvPofP8RjI/AAAAAAAACwg/tn1d-QigPjo/s640/helmet2011_beatohio2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Yosthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715437509940349084noreply@blogger.com0